OnStar spies on you for profit after you unsubscribe

It sort of comes across as one of those overly paranoid things that we've grown frighteningly used to. However, apathy, as they say, can be deadly. There are many ways that you private information can be used, and possibly new ways developed every day. Who says that we even know half of them?

I reccomend reading these in the order posted. (And don't worry, they're not all long.)




http://www.zdziarski.com/blog/?p=1270

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/21/gms-onstar-now-spying-on-your-car-for-profit-even-after-you-uns/




And here is an example in real life--

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/34/3466.asp

Help save tigers and other species living in the Baltics!

According to the website, "As few as 3,200 tigers remain in the wild. This devastating news comes as the Chinese lunar calendar moved into Year of the Tiger on February 14, 2010. Already, three subspecies have been driven to extinction in the past century alone due to illegal wildlife trade, poaching, and human conflict."



http://www.causes.com/causes/14561-save-the-baltic-sea

An interview with Misha Collins, AKA Godstiel

It's the Supernatural bug again! Have you been bitten yet?

Obviously there are some spoilers here if you're not caught up, but I imagine that by now most fans know what's become of the angel Castiel.

And let me just say that I wish more celebrities were like this man. I absolutely adore Misha.



Part 1

http://youtu.be/ifLDh-eFhvI



Part 2

http://youtu.be/bT0wNV5s6to



Part 3

http://youtu.be/1Zq5Ta6EprM

Nyan Cat invades Europe!

Bahahaha. I very much appreciate the fact that people have created all these Eastern European versions of this cute/annoying musical pop tart cat. Here's one, and if you follow the link to YouTube, you'll see more variants in the Related Videos section.

Enjoy!




http://youtu.be/zbSe-RzcgYo

Lithuanian mayor crushes a car!

There are few things as refreshing as city officials making it a point to enforce laws. Of course, this isn't the kindest way of dealing with the issue, but it gets the point across.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14380367



I love Europe... don't you love Europe?

Polish Festival in Toledo?!

Ahhh, I wish I could go! Sounds like fun. I'd love to try some pierogies and if their "Dancing with the Stars" is open to the public, show off my polka skills. Anyway, the place is sounding more and more interesting than I used to give it credit for. Toledo, I mean. Or well, Ohio in general. Heh.



http://www.polishfestival.org/

Wait, that wasn't in English?

Typically, I have trouble listening to music in languages I don't speak, because my brain wants to turn the words into English ones, even though the resulting "lyrics" make no sense and frequently annoy me. However, I have come to love some foreign-language songs nonetheless, such as the even-popular "Dragostea Din Tei". It's sung in Romanian by the group O-Zone. You might know it as "Numa Numa".

These are the misheard lyrics according to one person. Apparently this is the original version, and it's definitely way better than others that I've seen.

Enjoy! Aloe, and goodbye for now. ;)




http://youtu.be/KfEE_nYehZ8



PS- I'd also like to add that this is my 100th post. Yay! I've had a great time with this blog. Onward to post #200!

Lost their meaning, grew their beauty

One thing I love about the mid 1900s is the trend towards futuristic artwork and design. I don't know much about its impact outside of the US, but these Yugoslavian monuments certainly look like someone's take on the Space Age.



http://www.cracktwo.com/2011/04/25-abandoned-soviet-monuments-that-look.html



I think these are all gorgeous and breathtaking. The fact that their significance has been forgotten makes them even more interesting-- I believe, as I stated in my post on the Neo-Nazi codes, that all symbols are arbitrary. So, these could have meant anything, although we could make some guesses based on the location of each piece and the local history. But the fact that I can look at any one of them all day and never know for sure makes me feel as though I am staring into the future. And the past. And my mind melts a little bit as reality shifts.

Norwegian Icebreaker heads up the Mississippi

(As the e-mail stated it...)


How's this for international cooperation!

Norwegian Icebreaker heads up the Mississippi River.

As you may have seen on the news it's been very cold in Iowa.

So cold, in fact, that the US Army Corp of Engineers has borrowed a visiting Norwegian Icebreaker to clear the Mississippi River for freighter traffic. The Icebreaker is starting near Davenport and working its way northward.


Here is a picture as the hard work of ice breaking begins. Impressive!





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...giving you some scrolling space to add to the element of surprise...








...

Unspoken evil in World War Two

This is a trailer for a new book which came out in March. I haven't had the chance to read it, but definitely hope to, as it holds personal value for me. My family is mostly Latvian and part Lithuanian, and I know that my grandparents and great grandparents suffered immensely during WWII and afterward.

As the author, Ruta Sepetys, says, we've all heard about what Hitler and the Nazis did to the Jewish people, but many people don't know anything about how many millions Stalin and the Soviets tortured and murdered.

A well-made trailer, and a message from the hearts of those whose stories were untold.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuIy8HqJUvA